


Silent Realm

by Ikol



Series: Loki One-Shots [3]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: AU, Gen, Horror, halloween fic, silent hill au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-31
Updated: 2013-10-31
Packaged: 2017-12-31 01:52:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1025895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ikol/pseuds/Ikol
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki woke up in a darkened realm full of ashes with petrichor filling his nostrils.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Silent Realm

Silent Realm

 

Everything was gray; ashes drifted in the air filled with smokes; molten metal, burnt flesh and petrichor flooded his nostrils. His body felt like lead, his own dead weight pinning him to the ground. He wondered: have I died at the hands of that green beast or the dark elves? Or was it when the Chitauri descended upon him after he had fallen on their planet? 

Was it even a strike from the god of thunder?

 

It didn't matter. He remembered punishments where he was bound by entrails, or was it chains and shackles, a muzzle or a collar? It felt like lifetimes past and his mind was too clouded to pinpoint. He was exhausted and nothing mattered anymore when Time ended and there was only the void left in his chest.

But why did it looked as if the Void called Ginnungagap had awakened in swallowed everything into Darkness?

Why was he still alive?

 

It was unusually calm, even chilling. Or perhaps he had awakened in the cursed, decayed realm of his own monstrous race?

 

Time to find out.

 

Loki rose and took in his surroundings. It was deas silent and he couldn't see past the gray mist. Flicking the tips of his fingers to summon a light yielded nothing but the sound of dry sliding, just like wet sticks could bring fire.

 

He let out a sigh. No magic, then.

 

As he stood he realized he was not that harmed or hurt, and free from all fetters. So he ran fingers through his hair and found that his scalp was slightly fractured with a cake of dried blood. He had healed. And apart from the sore in his limbs, nothing else was broken and he wasn't bleeding to his death.

 

Something was definitely wrong when Loki knew he was not in a bad shape. 

 

Squinting his eyes to see through the gray mist with white and black ashes, Loki started moving. He treaded carefully forward, ears trained for any sound that could give a hint of what lied in the mist. Foes and more foes. He would not expect less than that. 

Still, the surface under his feet felt familiar, with smooth and solid surface that was pleasant to walk upon. Loki glanced down and rubbed the heel of the boot on the ground. When the dust and thick dirt parted way, he saw familiar engraved motifs of the palace's floor. His head shot up, eyes wide in realization that he was standing in the celebrated king's hall.

 

He was in Asgard.

 

He took in a deep breath and tensed up. What surrounded him was not the familiar golden light, but darkness.

Something was definitely wrong.

...

 

So he had woken up in the realm that he suspected had fallen under some kind of a spell, engulfed in this strange gray fog and ashes and cold silence. Was it the Darkness that befell them, or had someone burnt the Realm Eternal to ashes while Loki lied unconscious? 

If so, why was he still alive?

 

He began making his way slowly towards his own room through the back garden where he woke. Without magic, he needed a weapon. The spine tingling silence did not fit Asgard and it felt more threatening. It reminded him more of the barren moon he had landed not long ago, where he was tortured and subjugated. He still had nightmares of that time, then he remembered.

 

Was it Thanos? Had the Titan crushed this realm into this state?

No signal of life, except his, and Loki felt a pang of loss and wonder, //has everyone died?//

 

He should feel elated, but he didn't.

 

Questions raced in his mind: who made them fall? What became of father, mother, and Thor? Were they still alive?

How long this had been going on?

 

Then he snorted. After all this time, he still thought of them as his family. Shaking his head to rid of the idea, he continued walking and focused on his surroundings. It was not time to idle, he scolded himself.

 

He must have entered through the door now and as his eyes had adapted to a dim light. it was then when he started to see the state the realm was brought down to.

 

There was no light even in the palace itself, because everything from the high walls and ceilings to the golden floor had turned to rust, distorted as if it was devouring itself from within with holes and dents everywhere, making the once elegant place looked deformed, as if crunched by claws. Loki's heart beat faster as the questions screamed louder in his head. //What had become of this place? Who did this? Where is everyone?// As he walked further, he realized with a shudder that the rusty materials that dimmed and tainted the place was not dust or smokes, but grimes and blood, covered from floor to ceiling, that turned everything gold into dark, blood red.

 

His right foot stepped on something that caused a wet noise and Loki looked down to see it was a fresh chunk of flesh.

 

A heart.

 

He quickly pulled his foot away, his brows knitted together as he examined the carcass. He looked around, body tensed, expecting attackers. Then, he proceeded close to the wall before slipping behind the columns.

No one or nothing came, but it made him more acutely aware how threatening things had become.

 

As he walked along the corridors, he saw through the dark mist of fresh blood and tissues. The massacre was recent enough that the blood didn't even completely dry. Of course not. Some blood spoke of fresh kills on top of old stains. Loki gritted his teeth and moved forward, suppressing his dread at the sight and repulsive smell.

 

He must find Thor.

 

…

 

The further he walked deeper into the royal quarter, the darker it became once again. He had to feel the path by his hands since he already stumbled on something, or perhaps someone, lying on the way in the pool of blood.

 

Not Thanos. He thought. Not Thanos, his mind chanted as he felt his way forward.

 

Once he got closer to the quarter, it was no longer misty, but dark with air permeated with pungent smell he couldn't name. All the time he sensed something on his back, making him glance back once in a while and his hands clenched and unclenched. He also sensed some eyes on him, as if the Other was breathing down his neck with his lips parted in a rotten grin. But he knew this was probably his paranoia, something his mind conjured up from the trauma both on that moon and Midgard. 

Of course he did not rule out the possibility that this was entirely some place else, though the answer could be that someone with an ancient seidr had captured the whole realm.

 

Odin would know. He must find the Allfather.

 

Taking a turn at the corner leading to his room, at last, he felt a wash of relief, but then his heart sank one more time as he saw the complete darkness leading from the corridor towards his room. At the other end of the hall was Thor's and that was where Loki intended to go next, even if he doubted Thor would be there to greet him.

 

The endless darkness in front of him was like a tunnel with a gaping mouth that awaited him and Loki felt more cautious than ever since he had woken up in Asgard. (If this was Asgard, he thought). Should he sprint there like a child too scared to walk in darkness? For the first time he hesitated to take a step forward, but at the same time the darkness behind him sent a chill up and down his spine he couldn't turn back or stand still.

 

So he had to wade through towards his own door that he felt should offer him some comfort and weapon, though a part of his mind yelled at him that he was fooling himself if he ever though of comfort while at this blackened place.

But this, if this was Asgard, was his home. Even if it was the place where he felt the most vicious pain, it was still a home that once filled his heart with love.

Thus, it was his job was to find out what happened to it.

 

//Of course, you fool, this was the place you grew up. No matter how much you hated it, you longed for it.//

 

//Shame on you, this is not your home.// But as much as he hated to admit, Loki knew it took exactly 100 paces from this spot to reach his own door and he felt relieved when his bare hand touched nothing on the wall of his corridor, but familiar golden surface. No grimes, no blood. Here it smelled cleaner, no burning and no pungent.

 

No scent of death. Only silence.

 

That he could manage. But then at the fiftieth pace he heard a faint noise from behind, and his feet stopped. It was a faint whimpering and breathing, almost that of pleasure, except that it was also gurgling, as if that someone or something was choking. Loki took a deep breath and figured it was still distant enough and he would make it to his door before this unknown enemy could reach him.

 

Then the sound was gone.

 

He ran.

 

Reaching his door, he pushed, but the door did not budge and he bounced off it and staggered backward.

 

He cursed and pushed again, but it did not move. He banged his fist on the large door, causing an echo along the corridor.

 

Bad move.

 

The noise he heard a moment ago started again, and it came closer from behind in mere seconds. Loki spun around and saw a dim figure crawling towards him like a snail. The mucus the body left on trail was nothing but blood and secretion. The saliva that trickled down the corner of its mouth as its lips widened, its tongued darted in and out lewdly.

It was an Aesir form.

Loki gasped as the contour of the face and the known features, even if almost unrecognizable, came into view.

It was Fandral.

 

The Dashing one, one of Asgard's finest warriors, was crawling on his stomach and making a needy, breathy whimpering as he pulled himself closer and closer to Loki who was rooted with shock at the sight before him.

 

Lo....k...i. Fandral said, his tongue flicking in and out.

 

As Fandral or the creature that wore Fandral's face drew closer, Loki was able to see what had become of this warrior. He knew Fandral was loyal to Thor, but he had never been cruel to Loki. The only offense he ever wronged Loki was a joke about the dark-haired man's sexuality. So, looking at the creature now made him gasp aloud. Fandral's body was bent in half and pulled upward to be strung with barbed wires that tied around his neck. Blood was seeping from his ankles and throat, flowing down his bare chest as he crawled with his hands, his belly and torso sliding on the floor in clumsy yet steady crawls towards Loki. The dark tongue was shooting in and out as the mouth curved into a smile, with Loki's name on his lips, as he was truly delighted to see the god of mischief.

Was it Thanos? What perversity is this?! 

Loki didn't move, stunned, when the creature grabbed his ankle and it burned like acid, making Loki cry out in pain. He kicked back, striking the heel of his boot at the creature's head that made its grip loosen. He wanted to run, but the creature grabbed him again, now on his calf and another hand on his ankle. Then it chuckled. Chuckled. Images who this creature once was when he spoke merrily with his group of friends flashed before Loki's eyes.

 

YOU BROUGHT THIS UPON US. The creature spoke with Fandral's voice, its voice loud and clear.

 

Loki did not hesitate when he crushed the creature's head with a loud crack this time. He crushed it again and again until it did not move.

 

Then he ran.

 

...

 

When he reached his parents' wing, he saw two figures looming in the dark. As his eyes had now become accustomed to the darkness, he saw the outline of royal guard's uniform. There were two of them, standing still, blocking the passage towards the Allfather's chamber.

 

Loki gulped as he took in the helmets and the relief on their shoulders, insignia of the weapon's vault guards. As he walked closer and closer, he saw that they were the guards that had been slain by the frost giants on Thor's coronation day. In other words, it was those who died because he had brought the frost giants in.

They looked almost the same, almost alive with their poses, except that their faces were all rotten.

 

What perversity is this? Loki thought.

 

Was it Thanos?

 

When he reached the door, he pulled. One guard jolted into life and launched his spear at Loki, which he managed to duck and kicked the back of his knee, making him tumble to the floor. As a corpse he was clumsy, so Loki disarmed him and used the spear to end the guard again by shoving the spear into the man's neck through the opening of the helmet.

The second guard woke to life like a robot and swung his sword at Loki. Once again, Loki pushed the spear through him, the blade cut easily through the armor.

 

Gritting his teeth, he realized the game this unknown seidr was playing with him.

Now the guards had collapsed. The path was clear, so Loki took another look at both of them, his emotions in turmoil.

 

So he had to end their lives with his own hands this time.

...

 

He had never felt this cold, not even when he had woken up to see The Other's ugly face looming above him, his mouth full of black teeth spitting despise, of how lowly and worthless Loki was when he was found broken in Thanos' hands, how he should be grateful for every breath he was taking because he was weak and useless. He sneered at Loki's empty promise, as if he was a jealous lover over his lord. And he took the pleasure in promising Loki pain should he fail Thanos.

That time the Allfather fell into an Odinsleep looked different than now.

The Allfather was lying on his bed, but instead of the gold, shimmering light that healed him, there was only spider webs, as if he was an old, forgotten stone decorating a sarcophagus.

 

Beside the large bed sat his mother. He knew this figure everywhere. She was the light and warmth of his heart as Thor's betrayal was too painful to bear.

 

And yet there she was, sitting motionless in the dark, her empty sockets staring at him. His knees shook as he took each heavy step closer towards her.

 

Mother.

 

His words became paralyzed as the Allmother's head moved side-way upon hearing a voice.

 

After a long moment, a ragged, faint voice replied, “Loki?”

Loki released the breath he was holding. “Mother, it's me.” And he approached her, but not too close. “What happened to Asgard? What has become of the people and this place? Where is Thor?”

 

“So many questions, child.” The Queen replied. “So many questions...”

Loki's grip tightened on the spear. 

“Please tell me who did this to you.  
Was it the Dark Elves?”

Suddenly, Frigga let out a long, shrill laugh that startled Loki.

 

“Who did this?” She said. “Do you want the truth or lies, my son?”

“Do not mock me!” Loki pointed the spear at the queen who was shaking with a hysterical laughter.

“Are you going to hurt me too?” Frigga cried. “Look what you've done, Loki! How could you do this to our home?”

“This is not Asgard and you're not my mother!” Loki shouted. Certainly this maniac creature in front of him was wearing only his mother's skin, but it was not her.

 

Just like how that wretched creature on the corridor was not Fandral or that lifeless figure not his father.

 

Red tears flew down from her empty sockets. “I have raised you! I have fed you from my own bosoms and my blood! I have loved you!”

 

Loki stood frozen, looking at his mother and the streams of blood pouring down her eyes. She was hitting her clenched fists against her chest, her royal gown covered in blood that had turned crimson as she continued to scream.

“Why! LOKI, WHY!?”

 

He wanted to silence her, but he couldn't thrust the spear through this creature. Not when it was wearing his mother's face.

 

So when he couldn't kill it, it continued to scream and scream.

 

“I have loved you, my son, my son!” 

Then it laughed.

 

Loki could nothing but run out of the room towards the darkness he just escaped from.

 

...

 

So he ran and tears were streaming down his face. He ran through the dark hallway from the royal quarters back to the main hall where there was nothing but rusted metal walls all around him.

 

//Is this Ragnarok?// He wondered. //Why this is happening to me?//

 

He was shaken, frightened.

 

Was it Thanos or something more ancient, more powerful that he had no knowledge of?

 

Was this punishment?

 

“Thanos, you coward!” He shouted his voice hoarse. “Show yourself!”

 

He kept screaming, but no, Thanos was not here.

 

Someone else was.

 

…

 

He appeared around the corner as if answering to Loki's cry. The towering presence that looked larger than all the gods and once shone with a blinding light, now carried with him tearing darkness and crushing thunder as he walked towards Loki.

 

The walls dissolved, peeling itself like skins stripped from the flesh as thunder wept and whined, shrill, distorted sound and rising ashes followed behind Thor's every step.

 

“No...” Loki whispered.

 

Loki couldn't find his voice or the strength to move as Thor, the man he called his brother, stopped in front of him.

 

He was covered in blood from head to toes.

 

There was not an inch on the god of thunder that was not crimson-red, his armor and hair painted with blood of Aesir, Loki realized.

 

“Where is...where is Sif, Volstagg and...and Hogun?” Loki's hand dropped to his side, spear pointed to the floor, drained.

 

Thor stared at him with empty eyes.

 

“I killed them.”

 

Loki closed his eyes as coldness like the ice of Jotunheim washed over him.

 

“I killed them all.” Thor went on, his voice calm. “They betrayed.”

The red fluid was dripping from Mjolnir.

 

“Who did they betray?” Loki questioned with a lump in his throat as he looked at the hammer that was worn from crushing down a realm.

 

Thor looked up and his mouth fell open, letting out a murmur as if swayed by memories. “Loki....” His eyes were distant. “My brother.”

 

Loki closed his eyes as Thor's words pierced his heart like a knife.

 

The golden realm and everyone was destroyed at the hands of the god of thunder, its sworn protector, because of him. 

 

Was it Thanos? Was it the Dark Elves? Was it Ragnarok? 

 

It didn't matter anymore. 

 

“Thor, it's me.” Loki took a step closer to Thor.

 

Thor turned and looked at Loki, eyes still distant.

A tear rolled down Loki's face.

“We must stop this,” He said.

 

Thor looked at him; his vacant blue eyes reminded Loki of their childhood.

 

Thor moved and Loki stood still as Thor closed the distance.

 

When he raised Mjolnir, Loki held his gaze where those eyes reflected nothingness. The emptiness inside was colder than Jotunheim, emptier than the barren moon, and it promised of life and death far beyond his time.

 

And it felt like peace.

 

+FIN+

 

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, but happy Halloween!

I haven't seen Thor 2, and I started this story last Halloween, but didn't finish it of course. I'm glad it got finished at last! 

I'm not a native writer and this story was self beta'ed. If you spot any mistakes, please let me know. Thank you for reading and commenting! You guys made writing & sharing worthwhile, and feedbacks are a balm to writers' souls (though I suck at replying; I love your feedback).

Again, written with Ne Obliviscaris “Portal of I” as a soundtrack, in case anyone wondered. Check this album out because it is so perfect for making baby fics. (Seidrmadr is another story that the album inspired). Its Shamanic elements must have worked well with my neurons ^^


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